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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28883541">Valparaiso</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebraskaWildfire/pseuds/NebraskaWildfire'>NebraskaWildfire</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Valparaiso [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Alias Smith and Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:12:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,302</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28883541</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebraskaWildfire/pseuds/NebraskaWildfire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>My take on Valparaiso.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Valparaiso [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2118126</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Valparaiso</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hannibal Heyes was meticulously filling out the money transfer form, when his cousin and partner walked into the office.</p><p>“Hey…um, Joshua, ain’t you done yet?”</p><p>“Almost Thaddeus.”</p><p>“How much you sendin’?”</p><p>“Ten per cent, as always.”</p><p>“Ten per cent of four hundred dollars is…”</p><p>“Forty dollars, Thaddeus.  It ain’t hard to figure ten per cent. Just take a zero off the end.”</p><p>Jedediah Curry looked skeptically at his cousin, but then a thoughtful look came across his face.</p><p>“How long we been doing this?”</p><p>“Almost fifteen years.”</p><p>“You know, we probably wouldn’t be broke all the time if we didn’t always send them ten per cent.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t still be alive, if it weren’t for them.”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”</p><p>Heyes finished up the form while they were talking and handed the clerk the forty dollars.  He looked at the receipt that said:</p><p>Sister Mary Madeleva<br/>
School for Waywards<br/>
Valparaiso, Nebraska</p><p>As they walked out of the door, Heyes’ thoughts wandered back 15 years.</p><p> </p><p>“Sister, Sister Patricia!  I have it!  I figured it out!”  The young man swept his dark hair out of his face, as he looked up from the page covered in calculations.  “I’ve figured the area under the curve!”</p><p>Sister Patricia looked up from the math tests she was grading and smiled fondly at Hannibal.  Looking back down at the papers through which she was struggling, she wished more of her students had the aptitude or even interest in mathematics that he showed.  It would make teaching much easier.  She got up from her desk and walked over to the one at which Hannibal was sitting.</p><p>“I’ll compare it to what Professor Michaels sent from Kansas State.”  She smiled.  “I never was very good at integrals.”</p><p>“Sister, this should complete the math problems he wanted to see from me.  I’ve also finished the chemistry experiments and written them up.  Too bad Mr. Peters wouldn’t let me have dynamite or nitro for trying out those problems!”</p><p>“I should think not, Hannibal.”  Sister Patricia sighed.  This young man had been a handful even as a youngster.  Now that he was growing into a young man, it would really be best if he left the sisters’ orphanage here at Valparaiso, and made his way into the world at the university in Kansas.  She wasn’t certain they would know what to do with him otherwise.  Luckily Mr. Johnson at the bank was willing to donate the funds needed to send him.  All the sisters’ money was needed for feeding and clothing the ever-increasing number of orphans resulting from the recent war between the states and the border wars before that.  They did their best, but every penny was sorely needed.</p><p>Hannibal was straightening up his papers, putting the necessary ones into the binder that was to go back to Manhattan, Kansas with his college admission forms.  Sister Patricia noticed a young man waiting quietly in the hall, hoping not to be noticed.  Having already graded his math exam, Sister was not surprised.  She thought, not for the first time, how the two cousins were like night and day, in appearance as well as personality.  Hannibal, with his deep eyes and thick hair was as dark as his Jedediah was light, with his sky blue eyes and hair blonder than the wheat in the field.  While Hannibal often was found in the school rooms after classes were finished, trying to figure out some new math problem or perusing a new book, Jedediah couldn’t wait to get out of the classroom and work with Mr. Peters on the school maintenance, or going on hunting trips to supplement the school’s food supply.</p><p>Yet there was an undeniable connection between the cousins.  As they were the only family each other had still alive, it was not surprising, but sometimes it was uncanny how close they were.  Sister knew Hannibal had not told Jedediah when he’d be finished with his homework, since he hadn’t known himself how long the math problem would take.  Yet there in the hall Jedediah was waiting.</p><p>“I’ll take this down to Sister Madeleva, so it will stay sa…be ready for mailing next week.”  Hannibal smiled warmly at Sister Patricia, but she noticed he was carrying the folder close to his body.  She knew that even though Hannibal was one of the older boys here at the orphanage, he was still teased about enjoying his schooling by the other boys.  When the news about his plans to apply for college got around, it became worse.  Hannibal looked out into the hall cautiously.  A small sigh of relief escaped him, when he noticed that his cousin was waiting for him.  </p><p>“Good afternoon, Sister.”  Han smiled again and hurried out into the hall to meet up with his cousin.</p><p>“I wasn’t sure you’d be back by now, Jed.  Thanks for coming.”  Heyes fell into step with his cousin as they walked down the hall to the English room.</p><p>“Knew you’d need some backup, Han.”</p><p>“I told you to call me Joshua.”</p><p>“T’ain’t your name.”</p><p>“Yes, it is!  Hannibal Joshua Heyes.”</p><p>“Well, it ain’t what I’m gonna call you.  Always called you Han.”  Jedediah’s brow creased.  “You can call yourself any fool thing you want when you go off to that highfaluting college, but to me you’ll always be Han.”</p><p>“Well, then can you call me just Heyes?  That’s probably what I’ll get called in class, so I should get used to it.”</p><p>“Heyes?”  Jedediah’s blue eyes scrunched a bit.  “Yeah, I guess I can start to call you Heyes.”  His eyes turned wistful.  “I always liked your pa and ma.”</p><p>Heyes looked off through the hallway window and cleared his throat.  “Well, okay.  I guess that will do.  I just thought Joshua sounded a bit friendlier than Hannibal.”</p><p>“Well, whatcha gonna call me?”</p><p>“Jed, what do you mean?”</p><p>“Well, if you get a new name, so should I.”</p><p>“Heck, Jed, you’re just a kid.  You ain’t…aren’t going to college.”</p><p>“Don’t remind me.”  Jed looked a bit angry.  “How am I gonna deal with the Harris brothers without you around?”</p><p>Heyes thought for a moment.  “Guess, we’ll just have to get them in a fight before I leave, so they know what they’d be in for if I ever hear that they’re going after you while I’m gone.”</p><p>“But, Han…Heyes, won’t that get you in trouble?  Sister Madeleva said you had to behave until you left, so no one can say you don’t deserve to go.”</p><p>“You think I’m stupid or something?  We gotta do it somewhere the sisters won’t see.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t it just be easier for me to come along?  I could get a job at a livery or something.”</p><p>“Now think on that, Jed.  Where would you live?  Where would you be safe?  I’ll have to be on the college campus in the dormitory and couldn’t come running every time you needed me.”  He shook his head, determined.  “No, you’ll be safer here with the sisters, even with the Harris brothers around.”</p><p>“You two still hiding behind the sisters’ skirts?”  A sneering voice came up behind them.</p><p>Heyes set his folder up on a shelf, while he glanced sideways at his cousin.  As they turned in unison to face the threat, he plastered a big smile on his face, as Jed’s eyes and face became hard.</p><p>All three of the Harris brothers stood in the hall behind them blocking any easy exit from the building.  Herm was almost Hannibal’s age, Vince was Jedediah’s, and Sal was in-between.  They were stockier than the Kansas cousins, and even though they didn’t move quickly, their punches were the bane of many of the younger boys at the orphanage.  The sisters tried to reform them, but had not met with much success.  As Hannibal said, there were often fights when the sisters weren’t supervising.  The top of the pecking order at the orphanage had been moving back and forth between the Harris brothers and Jed and Han.  The cousins started some of the fights to protect some of the younger boys from being picked on by the brothers.  The Harris brothers started fights just to fight.</p><p>“Nah,” Heyes said nonchalantly.  “We was goin’ out to do some shootin’ with Mr. Peters.”  His eyes were as hard as flint, staring down the Harris boys.  He knew word had gotten around the school that the groundskeeper was giving Jedediah shooting lessons and that Jedediah was getting very good.  Heyes continued to stare and Jed folded his arms and took a strong stance beside his cousin, blue eyes flinty.</p><p>Herm Harris started to look uncomfortable, but then squared his shoulders.  “Ain’t got no guns here.  Let’s see what you can do without them.”</p><p>Hannibal and Jedediah just continued to stand firm, hoping to out last the Harris brothers, and walk away without a fight.  They were known as hardscrabble fighters and with loyalty to each other that didn’t end.  They had proven themselves in many fights, but avoided many more lately, just based on that reputation.  Hannibal knew this was a fight that they’d sooner or later not be able to avoid.  He was hoping though that today, in the school’s main hall, would not be the time and place.</p><p>He saw Vince start to move, but then heard a firm, but blessed voice from behind him.</p><p>“Why are you gentlemen all here in the hall?  You know it’s almost time for dinner, so you should be down in the dining hall, helping with the preparations.”  Sister Madeleva’s voice rapped out.  She stared at the Harris brothers until they lowered their eyes.</p><p>“Yes, Sister.”  They shuffled off, but not without a glaring look back at Han and Jed.</p><p>“Mr. Heyes.”</p><p>Hannibal turned, with Jedediah along with him, and smiled at Sister Madeleva.  He reached up to grab his college folder.  “We were just coming to bring you this.  Can you keep it for me until we mail it next week?”  He glanced down the hall towards the retreating Harris brothers.  “I didn’t think I should keep it in the dormitory, in case it was misplaced or lost.”</p><p>“Oh, Hannibal, you do know you bring this on yourselves sometimes, don’t you?”  Sister Madeleva still looked stern, but resigned.</p><p>“Yes, Sister,” Heyes smiled even more brilliantly at her.  “Jedediah and I better get a move on and help with dinner too.”</p><p>“Yes, Mr. Heyes, I supposed you should.”</p><p> </p><p>That Saturday, the end of the school year dance was held in the Valparaiso town square.  Both the kids from the town school, as well as from the orphanage were invited.  Normally they did not mix much, but at this one event that division was ignored.  </p><p>Jed and Han were having a good time, dancing with every available girl.  They were both very popular dance partners.  Hannibal, with his dark, smoldering looks and soon to be a college student, and Jedediah, with his dreamy blue eyes and wavy blonde curls, made them irresistible.  The party was going well, until the Harris brothers noticed that Jed started dancing with one striking young blonde lady more often than the others.  As the banker’s daughter, Sally Johnson was the most eligible young lady there.  Herm Harris didn’t see why a no account like Jed Curry should have any more of a chance to dance with Sally than anyone else.  Since Herm had made a trip behind the livery a few times, to where some men had liquor available, he decided he was going to do something about changing Sally’s preferences.</p><p>Jed and Sally just finished a dance, when Herm came up behind them.  Jed spun around, pushing Sally away from him, but not fast enough to avoid Herm’s punch to his stomach.  With Herm’s reflexes slowed even further by liquor, Jed had enough time to recover, and land a decisive blow to Herm’s jaw.  He started to go down, but his brothers, coming along to help out, held him up and shoved him back at Jed,.</p><p>Hannibal noticed Herm start to approach Jed and Sally on the dance floor, but it was too crowded for him to be able to make much headway towards them, before the first blows were exchanged.  He was there however to pull one of the brothers off of Jed and deliver his own blow to Vince’s jaw.</p><p>The fight continued until the sheriff and a couple other adults pulled them apart.  By that time Mr. Johnson arrived on the scene and was infuriated.  Sally lost her balance when Jed shoved her out of the way of the fight and fell.  She only had a bruise or two, but dirt was all over her lovely white dress.  The sisters came running too and took charge of the boys.</p><p>“Who started this fight?”  Mr. Johnson demanded to know.</p><p>“They did!”  Herm Johnson pointed towards Han and Jed.</p><p>“Now wait a minute,” Hannibal started, but Mr. Johnson cut him off.</p><p>“Do I smell liquor on your breath?”  He bellowed.</p><p>Jed and Han looked startled, but Herm and his brothers just smirked.</p><p>“Now, Mr. Johnson, I’m certain we can sort this all out…”  Sister Patricia started.</p><p>“You, young man,” Mr. Johnson pointed towards Jedediah.  “Haven’t you been behaving a bit too friendly with my daughter tonight?  Dancing with her too often?”</p><p>“Sir,”  Jedediah floundered for an answer, but Sally interrupted.</p><p>“Daddy, he was a perfect…”</p><p>“No perfect gentleman would have monopolized your attention so much without some sort of understanding first.  Which of course never could happen with one of these boys.”</p><p>“What is the matter with our boys?”  Sister Madeleva asked.</p><p>“Isn’t this the one you wanted me to send to college?”  Mr. Johnson looked at Heyes sternly.  “He’s brawling in the street?”</p><p>“Mr. Johnson,” Sister Patricia said.  “Please be reasonable…”<br/>
“Reasonable?”  Mr. Johnson’s face turned red.  “With rogues tossing my daughter in the dirt and brawling with others at a social function?  I knew nothing good would come of having your school in our town.  Hooligans all of them!”  He glared at Heyes.  “Definitely not college material.”</p><p>Heyes looked open mouthed at Mr. Johnson, then at Jedediah, and then at the Sisters.</p><p>“But, sir…”  Heyes tried again.</p><p>“Hooligans!  Never should have agreed to any of this!”  He grabbed his daughter’s arm and hurried away from the square.</p><p> </p><p>Hannibal spent the last two weeks of the school year in a seeming daze.  He participated in class and passed his final exams with excellent marks, but he barely talked to anyone, even Jed.</p><p>The sisters tried to find some other method of financing Hannibal’s college, but funds that were always short at the orphanage, trickled to nonexistent after the fight at the dance.  </p><p>Sister Madeleva sighed, rubbing her hands over her eyes.  She looked down at the stack of bills piled on her desk.  “How we are going to pay you all, only God knows.”</p><p>“Who can’t you pay?”   Hannibal Heyes stood in her doorway, his college application packet held tight to his chest. </p><p>“It doesn’t matter.”  She tidied up the stack of bills in front of her and covered them with a stack of exam books.</p><p>“Is Mr. Johnson making thing rough for the school?”</p><p>“Sometimes Mr. Heyes, you are too smart for your own good.”  Sister sighed again.  “Mr. Johnson is an important man in town and many people are dependent on his good will.”</p><p>“He’s telling people not to donate to us.”  Heyes stated it as a fact.</p><p>“Probably not in so many words.”</p><p>“But donations have dropped.”  Another fact.</p><p>“Yes, but we’ve always pulled through before.  God will see us through these hard times, just as he has in the past.”</p><p>“God helps those who help themselves.”  Heyes eyes took on a hard look.</p><p>“Sometimes.”  Sister Madeleva looked concerned.  “Sometimes we just need to pray.”</p><p>“I’d like to do more than pray.”</p><p>“Well, then what brought you here to see me?”</p><p>“This.”  He held out the folder.  “I was hoping there was some other way for me to earn the money to go.”</p><p>Sister paused.</p><p>“I’m assuming the summer job at the bank that Mr. Johnson offered me isn’t going to happen now.”</p><p>“No, I don’t think so.”</p><p>“And no one else will hire me now, either for the summer or full time if I can’t go to college, all because of Mr. Johnson.”</p><p>“I think your actions might have had something to do with what is happening, Hannibal.”</p><p>“I had to help Jed against the Harris boys!”</p><p>“Perhaps you should have found a way to deal with the situation rather than resorting to your fists.”  She still looked more concerned than angry.  After Heyes muttered something under his breath, she continued, a bit harsher this time.  “What did you say, Mr, Heyes?”</p><p>“The Harris boys don’t listen to anything else.”</p><p>“They’ve been better behaved lately.  Maybe you should have tried.”</p><p>This time he replied with just a disbelieving look.</p><p>“I keep been looking into some other options for you, now that college unfortunately isn’t possible.”</p><p>“What? The livery stable?  Or does Mr. Paulson have a loan with Mr. Johnson too?”</p><p>Another deep sigh came from Sister Madeleva as she contemplated the promising yet challenging young man before her.  “Maybe you should start fresh somewhere out of town.”</p><p>“But Jed has two more years of school to finish.  I can’t leave him.”</p><p>“Did it ever occur to you that he might be better off not being involved in all these schemes you devise?”</p><p>“No.”  Heyes looked adamant.  </p><p>“Well, we do have some friends of the school who have a ranch out by Chadron.”  sister Madeleva started to sort through the papers on her desk.  “They had asked for an older boy as a ranch hand.”  </p><p>“Ranch work?”  Heyes looked annoyed.  “Isn’t that hard on the back?”</p><p>“A lot of work is.”  Sister stopped looking for the letter.</p><p>“Can Jed come with me?”</p><p>“He needs to finish his schooling.  Don’t you think you owe him that?”  She folder her hands on the desk.  “Besides they only need one hand.”</p><p>Hannibal looked frustrated and angry.  He started to reply, but Sister Madeleva spoke before he could come up with any words he wanted to say before her.</p><p>“Hannibal, we need to thank God for what he gives us, not complain about what he doesn’t.”</p><p>“No offense to you And the other sisters.  I know we probably would have starved without your help.”  He took a deep breath and firmly me her gaze.  “But God became pretty stingy, once he took our parents away.”</p><p>“I’m certain most of the children here could say the same thing, but we hope most of y9 are learning you can still talk to God.”</p><p>“He’s been pretty silent since the raid.”</p><p>“Maybe you’ve not been listening.”</p><p>“Oh, I’ve listened enough.”  He crumpled his college application papers and tossed them in the trash.  “I’ve heard that I don’t belong here any more.”</p><p> </p><p>With funds low at the school, they were depending more on the game that they were able to obtain, so Jed was spending a lot of time hunting with Mr. Peters.  He had just come back from such a trip and into the dorm room he shared with Heyes.  His cousin had papers and books all over his desk, frantically scribbling.</p><p>“Han, you do know school is over for the year, don’tcha?”</p><p>“Yes.”  Hannibal consulted a book and scribbled some more.</p><p>“So whatcha doin’?”  Jedediah sat down in the chair next to the desk, looking at Hannibal’s papers.  “More math?”  He made a face.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“I’m devising a plan.”  Hannibal looked up at his cousin and roguish grin spread on his face.</p><p>“You’re what?”</p><p>“Do you think you can get some dynamite from the storage shed, without Mr. Peters knowing?”</p><p>“Dynamite?”  Jedediah exclaimed.</p><p>“Shhhhhhh!  Not so loud.”  Hannibal said quietly.</p><p>“Dynamite?”  Jed asked more quietly, but not less agitatedly </p><p>“Yes, dynamite.”  Hannibal stated in a determined voice.</p><p>Jedediah started at his cousin, but then asked, “Okay, why do you want dynamite?”</p><p>“To blow the safe, of course, kid.”</p><p>“First, I’m not a kid, and second, what safe?”</p><p>“The one in the bank, of course.”  Hannibal stared at this cousin like he was a young child still.</p><p>Jedediah stared at his cousin like he was crazy and seriously wondered if he was.</p><p>“Okay, Han, I think I need to hear the whole plan.”</p><p>“Jed, I still think you should start calling me Heyes.  Han just doesn’t sound like a good name for a bank robber.”</p><p>“You keep calling me a kid and I’m gonna call you anything I like.  Now what is this plan.”</p><p>“I’m gonna blow the safe in Mr. Johnson’s bank.”</p><p>“That’s the whole plan?”</p><p>“Well, no.  I have all the calculations here for how much dynamite we’ll need.”</p><p>“How do you know that, H..eyes?”</p><p>“There’s a formula for everything, kid.”  Jedediah frowned, but Hannibal continued. “I’m thinking we can plan this for next weekend, at the town festival, when they’re setting off the fireworks.  We won’t need much to just blow the hinges off that old safe they have in the bank.  I got a good look at it, when I was visiting there, planning to have that summer job.”</p><p>“Okay…Heyes.  Why?”</p><p>“Why what?”</p><p>“Why do you want to do this?”</p><p>“To get back at Johnson for ruining my life.”</p><p>“Han, I think that happened back in Kansas…when our folks were killed.”</p><p>“No, as…horrible as that was, kid, the sisters here have taken good care of us.  But what am I supposed to do now?  I’m done with high school.  I can’t go to college.  I can’t even get a job here in Valparaiso, because Johnson has told everyone we’re no good, no account orphans.  If we don’t leave, the sisters will never start getting donations again.”</p><p>“So you’re gonna rob a bank?” Jedediah couldn’t keep the astonishment out of his voice.</p><p>“Yeah.  That way we can have a stake and leave this town.  Hey, I might even get enough to go to college.”</p><p>“Why can’t we stay here at the school?”</p><p>“I know you can still. You have more schooling to complete.”</p><p>Jed made a face.</p><p>“But I’m done.  There’s no place for me here now.”  Heyes looked seriously at his cousin.  “Do you wanna stay?”</p><p>“Not if you’re leaving.”</p><p>“Okay, then.  I saw the lock on the back door around the side of the bank building.  It’s just like the one on the storage room here, that Mr. Peters had me open.  He told me it was always good to know how to open locks, in case you lost the key, like the sisters did with that storage door.”</p><p>“I don’t think the sisters will like this, H…eyes.”</p><p>“We can’t stay, Jed.  We’re just causing them problems.”</p><p>“Who’ll protect the little kids from the Harris brothers?”</p><p>“I heard they are gonna ride out West and get a ranch job.”</p><p>Jedediah snorted.  “They ain’t gonna like all that hard work.”</p><p>“Well, now, that ain’t gonna be our problem, is it, kid?”</p><p>“Quit calling me kid.”  Jedediah looked stern.  “Or I’m gonna have to flatten ya.”</p><p>“Before supper?”</p><p>“Nah, maybe after.”</p><p> </p><p>The first bank robbery committed by Hannibal Heyes and Jedediah (soon to be Kid) Curry went off without a hitch.  Maybe it was beginners luck; maybe because they were not yet dependent on the questionable skills of others.  The door to the bank was easily opened while everyone was still busy at the town celebration.  The safe was expertly blown, in time to some of the largest fireworks of the night.  The boys took two horses and tack from the livery, but left enough money to cover the cost.</p><p>They then quietly road off into the night, into the beginning of the rest of their lives, and into the history of the West.</p><p> </p><p>A few days of riding later, found the boys relaxing by a campfire, drinking coffee, and finishing up a supper of beans and biscuits.</p><p>“It’s gonna be colder tonight, Kid.”  Heyes shrugged deeper into his gray coat, his chin down into his bandana, and his hat pulled low.  He took another sip of coffee.  “Probably need to start heading south soon.”</p><p>“Would be warmer if we were in a bed.  In a hotel.”  The Kid shivered too, buttoning up his heavy sheepskin coat.  “I’m gettin’ too old for sleeping on the ground in this kinda weather.”</p><p>“You know why we’re out here in the hills.  Didn’t like the look that last sheriff gave us.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know.”  Curry sighed.  “Least it wasn’t because we were outta money.  Again.”  A thoughtful look took over his face.  “How much money do you think we’ve sent the sisters over the years?”</p><p>“Kid, if I told you, you wouldn’t be happy with me.”</p><p>“Explain to me again why we do this.”</p><p>“You know why.  If the sisters hadn’t taken us in after our parents died, we would’ve starved.”</p><p>“Do you think they knew who Rembacker and Hotchkiss were, sending them all those thousands while we were at Devils Hole?”</p><p>“Dunno, Kid.”  Heyes looked thoughtful, but then smiled.  “I am thinkin’ they are wishing those two fellas were still sending them those big donations, rather than these Smith and Jones guys who do now, but don’t seem to have as much ready cash.”</p><p>“You ever think we should go back?  Visit them?”</p><p>“Nah, I don’t think they’d be too proud of us.”</p><p>“I dunno about that, Heyes.  I think now they would be.”</p><p>“Maybe you’re right, Kid.”  Heyes smiled, with his eyes meeting his cousin’s.  “But it’s too darn cold to head back up to Nebraska with the weather as it is now.  Maybe next year.  Maybe we’ll have our amnesty by then.”</p><p>“Yeah, maybe.”  The Kid smiled back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Valparaiso, Nebraska is on a two lane state highway in the middle of nothing but corn and bean fields.  I used to drive through it on my way home and back to university.  The sisters’ names I use in this series were all nuns who taught me years ago at the school I attended in Nebraska.  It however was not a school for the wayward, even if the sisters sometimes wondered.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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